Choices
by I no longer remember
Summary: Another prompt by Dante, this one exploring the possibilities of how Rogue could have ended. And what events could have taken place to alter and have an effect on said ending. I hope you all enjoy it.
1. Comfort

**_Choices_**

 ** _Another prompt from Dante101, and I thank you again for the idea. You've got some good ones. This one is another AU on Rogue, which explores the possibility of two ways Rogue could have ended._**

 ** _In any story, one of the variables that can have an effect, be it major or minor, of the way things end is often dependant on the choices of the character. And Shay's is undoubtedly no exception. So, here's the question?_**

 ** _What if something could have happened that could have potentially changed his mind?_**

Shay sat on a log, on the outskirts of the Homestead, staring deep into the fire he had built up. His hands formed an arch like shape, which he rested his chin upon.

"Liam is a fool if he thinks I'll let this be," Shay though. "Achilles-"

"Shay?" A voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see Hope moving through the snow toward him. She stopped short of him and looked down at him.

"What do you want Hope?" Shay said in a slightly irritated voice.

"I… wanted to see how you were doing," she answered lamely.

Shay didn't respond. He just resumed staring down into the fire. Hope went and sat down on another log opposite him.

"Shay," she said slowly, in a slightly pained voice.

"What," Shay snapped at her, shooting her an angry glare as he did so. Hope actually looked slightly shocked at him. Shay was not one to snap at people, nor show such disrespect to his superiors.

"Shay, I can understand your upset about what happened, but do not show such disrespect-" Hope was cut off by Shay.

"You're thinking about my disrespect," Shay snarled. "After all that's happened?"

Hope was silent, thinking about how to respond. On the one hand, she knew she ought to berate him for his disrespect, but on the other, she recognised he had a point.

"Im sorry, Shay," she said to him. Shay shot her another filthy look before once more returning his gaze to the flames.

The pair remained silent, Shay just staring angrily into the fire, Hope watching Shay closely.

"I've ruined so many lives," Shay said quietly after a while.

"What do you mean?" Hope asked softly, looking over at him.

"If I hadn't tried retrieving that damned artefact," Shay began. "All those people would be alive," he said sadly. Shay buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes as though exhausted. Hope steeled herself for a moment, before walking around the fire and sitting next to Shay. She hesitated for a moment before then placing her arm around him, hoping to bring some level of comfort to the man.

Hope thought for a moment, thinking about all that Shay had been through. He had watched an entire city fall, likely witnessed the deaths of hundreds in his own bid to escape. Hope looked at Shay, who hadn't moved since she placed her arm around him, rubbing his shoulder in an attempt to make him feel calm. He seemed to sink lower where he sat.

"I can't imagine how tough that must have been for you Shay," she whispered to him.

"Tough doesn't begin to describe it," Shay said in a low voice, face still hidden in his hands. "All because of me, so many souls have been lost."

"You shouldn't blame yourself Shay," Hope told him.

"And why not," he argued. "It's my fault."

"No its not," Hope said firmly to him. "However much it may seem like it, it isn't."

"If I hadn't gone in there and interacted with that artefact-"Shay began in a loud voice, taking his hands away from his face.

"Shay!" Hope snapped at him. "You couldn't have known what would happen. None of us knew what could have happened. So stop blaming yourself. I know how horrible it was. But please, please don't blame yourself or make yourself feel worse about it. That won't solve anything,"

Hope told him. She took a deep breath and steadied herself, trying to think of a ways to make Shay feel better. Hope couldn't quite figure out why, but she realised she hated seeing Shay like this. She pushed this curious feeling aside for the moment and began thinking.

Shay was now staring at the ground, as though hoping it would open up and swallow him into the depths of the earth. A single tear fell from his eye before he closed them. He didn't want to cry. He knew it would solve nothing. Another fell from behind his closed eyelids. Hope didn't seem to have noticed this. He prayed she wouldn't. He didn't want another person to think less of him.

"Shay?" Hope asked.

"What," he muttered in a low whisper.

Hope was trying to think of something to say to him. To get him to look up. To smile. Something. Anything.

"Please don't do anything stupid," was all she could say. She mentally smacked herself. What good would saying something like that do? Now she worried he thought she hated him, or thought he was stupid. Shay didn't respond. He was still thinking.

"Seems like I've already done that," he whispered.

"That wasn't your fault Shay," Hope told him. "Don't ever think it was."

"I just can't help it," Shay told her sadly. "All I can think about is the damage that was done, all the lives lost."

"I understand," Hope said. "I can't say I blame you. But don't lose faith Shay. Things can get better. Things can be fixed."

"Things can get better," Shay repeated. "I doubt it."

"Terrible things have happened in the past Shay," Hope told him. "It's sad but true. But people have found, and will find a way to continue."

"I doubt those people witnessed an earthquake," Shay said. "Whats there to keep me going?"

"You have the brotherhood," Hope told him. "You have best friend Liam." Hope neglected adding in the words, _you have me_. It just didn't seem like the right thing to say at that moment.

"Perhaps you're right," Shay said, looking up. "But I can't help but wonder if it's enough."

"It will be," Hope told him. "Just have faith," she instructed him.

"Faith," Shay repeated. He was looking up toward the dark night sky. Hope actually thought he had a look of hope for the future on his face. She prayed she had managed to shake him out of his depression.

"I'm going to go back to the homestead now, OK Shay?" Hope informed him, standing up. "You want to come back with me?" she asked him, a hopeful look on her face. She gave him a small smile, hoping it would convince him to return with her.

"I think I'll stay out here just a little bit longer Hope," Shay said, looking up at her.

"OK, I'll see you later," she said. She bade him a goodnight and set off back toward the homestead. She couldn't help but look over her shoulder more times than perhaps necessary, wishing each time she looked to see him following her back to the homestead. Each time however, she just saw him staring into the fire. Contemplating.

Hope rounded a corner of the mansion and went to the front door. She opened it and entered.

Shay meanwhile remained sitting on the log beside the fire. Warming his hands. He was still debating what to do in his head. He remained siting for a few more minutes, thinking about what Hope had said. He also continued thinking about what he should do. He had to confess to himself that he felt lost.

Shay made up his mind. He stood up abruptly from the log, kicked a few handfuls worth of snow over the fire to smother and extinguish it. He then turned and set off toward the Homestead. A look of steely determination donned his face as he had made up his mind, and realised what he had to do to set things right.

 ** _Cliffhanger. Unlike my other stories this one will actually have multiple endings as suggested by Dante. Thanks again for the prompt Dante. This one is a particular favourite because of the cleverness behind it._**

 ** _Apologies to everyone for not uploading in the last couple of weeks. I've been a tad busy and haven't had as much time for my writings as I'd like. I already have the second chapter for this story written out and will upload it at the same time as this one. I also intend to have the third chapter to this story out as soon as possible, preferably by the end of tomorrow if possible._**

 ** _In the meantime I hope you all enjoyed this story, and if you did, please drop a review and give me your thoughts. Feedback is critical to me. I like to ensure that my writing is good, and so helpful criticism and so on is very important._**

 ** _Other than that, all I have to say is stay awesome everyone!_**


	2. An Assassin's Reflection

**_Chapter 2: An Assassin's Reflection_**

 ** _And so it begins._**

Shay stood at the stern of his ship, staring over the edge, looking into the frigid ice waters below him. The Morrigan's sails had all been pulled up, and the anchor dropped, so the boat was at a standstill in the arctic waters. It was relatively late, the moon and stars being in full view in the sky.

Shay wore an unfathomable expression, making it difficult to tell what he might have been thinking or feeling at that moment. Shay himself was having trouble deciding what he felt at that moment. All he could truly feel was confusion. Just hours ago, he, Hope Jensen, their Mentor Achilles Davenport, and his oldest friend, Liam O'Brien had entered another Precursor Temple, with the intent of securing the Apple within. Shay himself had mixed feelings about going in there. He feared that another earthquake would be triggered, and that it would finish them all off.

The Templars had been active over the last few years. Over the course of the Sever Years War, they had had a remarkable amount of success in eroding the Assassins foothold in the colonies, as well as establishing a strong one of their very own. They had even managed to attack the Abenaki tribe and defeat them. Amongst those lost in that fight was Kesegowaase. The brotherhood mourned Kesegowaase's death. Thankfully the Assassins repelled any and all their attempts to secure the Precursor Box and Manuscript. But that didn't mean they weren't fearful and mindful of everything going on. And that didn't mean the Templars hadn't come close either.

The Colonial Brotherhood had been crippled by the Templar's, and so when the Assassins set out on their voyage to the frozen north, they had brought every man and woman that they could spare to ensure their voyage was a safe one. They had set up camp at the entrance, with most of their expedition party standing guard outside, with Chevalier supervising them. That left the three master Assassins, Shay, Hope, and Liam, and one other Assassin, to accompany The Mentor, Achilles, inside.

Shay's mind went back a few hours as he relived it all in his head.

 _The four Assassins surpassed the gauntlet of obstacles, and made their way to the heart of the Temple. They approached the column and part of it slid down into the floor, whilst another segment flew upwards into a gap in the ceiling, revealing the Apple._

 _Liam moved forward to retrieve the Apple._

 _"Is this the Apple?" Liam asked._

 _"No, don't touch anything," Achilles interjected. "Shay, I should have admitted it before, and apologize I didn't. You were right," Achilles had said, turning round to face his student. Shay felt a bit uncomfortable, but Achilles smiled at him. "You've done well to get us all here Shay. I thank you for forgiving my so very foolish ignorance in the past and for my not listening sooner."_

 _"Thank you, Mentor," Shay said._

 _"I'll admit it Shay, you certainly did do a good job," Hope said, smiling at him as well. Shay's expression actually flickered to one of shock for a moment, before a small smirk grew on his face._

 _"My, Hope, are you feelin' alright," Shay laughed. "You're never one to offer me praise."_

 _Hope merely rolled her eyes, causing the other three to laugh._

 _"Yes, yes, well done Shay," said a sharp voice. The four Assassins looked behind them to see the Templar Grand Master approaching, with his right hand man Gist following close behind, as well as Jack Weeks._

 _"Haytham Kenway!" Achilles said angrily. "Christopher Gist, and Jack Weeks."_

 _"What are you three doin' here?" Shay asked._

 _"We have come for the Apple, and you four would do well to step aside now," Kenway snapped at them. Gist and Weeks both raised their pistols, and pointed at different members of the groups._

 _"I don't think that'll be happening anytime soon Kenway," Shay said, stepping in front of him to stop him getting the Apple._

 _"Oh but I think it will Assassin!" Haytham said in a low voice. I just a mere second he pulled out a pistol of his own and pointed it at Shay. Shay quickly leapt aside to dodge the bullet the Grand Master fired at him._

 _This however left the Apple exposed. The bullet went straight for it and struck it. The Artefact quickly dissolved, just like when Shay had picked up the other in Lisbon. After the artefact vanished, the temple began to rumble around them._

 _"We better get out of here, right now," Shay called to the others, the rumbling getting louder with each passing moment. Haytham had already began fleeing, Weeks and Gist following close behind, and Achilles and Liam began running after them. Shay and Hope were about to follow when a chunk of ice fell and blocked their path up the stairs that the others had ran up._

 _"This way," Shay said. Shay grabbed Hope's hand and pulled her toward another stairway. The two began running and Shay let go of her hand, and the two began to race out of the Temple. Energy Walls sprang up in front of them, and the two were forced to quickly side-step them to avoid being vaporized. Earlier on in the Temple, the unnamed Assassin that accompanied them inside had the misfortune to make contact with one of the walls, and it quickly caused him to disintegrate into a fine pile of ashes. Shay and Hope had no desire too meet the same fate._

 _They charged through the Temple, with Hope, being a faster runner than Shay gaining some distance ahead of him. Suddenly another chunk of ice fell down, collapsing the pathway in front of Shay. He slid down an ice ramp, and landed on another piece._

 _"Shay, are you OK?" Hope called out to him._

 _"I'm fine," Shay yelled back. "Keep running, I'll find another way."_

 _"Right," Hope said. "Be careful." She told him, before continuing her run. Shay sprinted on, leaping across platforms of ice, surrounded by freezing waters. He made his way round a corner and leapt up across a gap onto a platform built out of the same sort of material that made up the rest of the site._

 _He ran up a wall and sprinted onward. Hope was on another, much higher ice platform up ahead._

 _"Shay!" she yelled down at him._

 _"Hope," he called back._

 _"There's a way just there," she said, pointing to another set of Precursor platforms. Shay followed the route and the two ran parallel to each other, Hope on the ice and snow platform, Shay running along the Precursor structure._

 _Hope eventually leapt down and joined Shay, and the two kept running throughout the temple, occasionally dodging to avoid falling ice chunks, and energy walls. At one point they had to slide beneath a wall that had slipped down, after being loosened by the quake._

 _The two eventually reached the mouth of a cave, ran up an icy spike and leapt down onto asnowy platform in the middle of a raging river of ice water. The platform just extended over the edge of a great waterfall which poured out of the mouth of the cave. Shay looked down, and spotted a sheet of ice that looked thick enough to support their weight if they could make it._

 _"Alright,"he said slowly. "Alright."_

 _"What?" Hope said in a rushed voice. "What are you thinking Shay?"_

 _"We're going to have to jump," he told her._

 _"Into the waters below," Hope said in a slightly alarmed voice. "Shay, this is the arctic. We'll freeze and drown."_

 _Some more ice fell down inside the cave behind them, blocking the route back. Not that they would have been able to reach it regardless, as the ice spike they had leapt of was too high to reach. So the two Assassins were effectively stranded._

 _"We don't have much choice Hope," Shay told her. "Look there. There's some ice that might be able to support our weight if we can reach it."_

 _Hope looked over the edge and spotted the ice he was reffering to. Then she looked at him, before making up her mind._

 _"Fine, let's go," she said in a determined voice. "Just one thing."_

 _"Yes?" Shay asked._

 _"Shay Patrick Cormac, if you die on me today, when I die, Im going to find you and kick your arse."_

 _Shay just laughed before saying "Alright." The two backed away slightly from the edge, preparing for to make a running leap._

 _"This'll be a leap of faith for the history books won't it," Shay said with a small smile. Hope allowed herself a small laugh. "Ready."_

 _"Are you?" Hope said, a competitive smirk on her face as she looked at her companion. Shay grinned back, before the two took a few more steps away from the edge, preparing for the short run up._

 _"Go!" Shay yelled. The two sprinted for the edge and leapt off without hesitation. They positioned themselves into diving positions as they fell and dove perfectly into the frigid waters. Immediately they twisted sideways slightly and both began swimming for the sheet of ice. They pulled themselves onto the platform._

 _"Argh, that's bloody cold," Shay's teeth chattered. "Freezing in fact!"_

 _"Well at least we're alive," Hope said, her voice faltering slightly. Moments later the platform from above fell down into the water with an almighty splash. Part of it clipped the platform the duo stood upon, causing it to crack. Hope looked over at Shay before smacking him around the face. Shay looked shocked, and he took a moment before he said "What was that for?" whilst lifting his hand up to sooth the pain in his cheek._

 _"We're never doing something that dangerous again," she said simply._

 _Shay's merely gave her an annoyed look._

 _"We better move," Hope said. The pair turned and began running. They climbed up an ice wall and over a small snowy mound and headed back towards where they docked. They saw Liam and Achilles were already aboard the Morrigan, waiting for them._

 _"Shay!" Liam called out to him. "Hope!"_

 _"Thank the Lord yer both alright," Liam said, throwing a blanket over Shay, as one of the crew members gave one to Hope._

 _"Where's that damned Kenway?" Shay asked._

 _"He escaped," Achilles said irritably. "No matter. We still have the box, the manuscript, and we're all alright."_

 _"Indeed," Liam agreed. "There'll be another time."_

 _"Shall we set sail then?" Shay asked._

 _"I think so," Achilles said. "Shay, if you could take the wheel."_

 _"Of course, Mentor," Shay said, before stepping toward the wheel._

Shay's mind returned to the present. He resumed staring over the edge of the Morrigan. Occasionally his mind drifted of elsewhere, thinking of other events that had happened over the past seven years. One of which was when he had had the honour of being promoted to the rank of Master Assassin. He was very proud of it, and had been given a second hidden blade as his reward.

"What are you doing Shay?" Hope's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Jus' thinking is all," Shay responded.

"About anything in particular?" Hope enquired of him with a smile.

"Jus' general stuff," he replied. "What are you doing up?" he asked her. Just about everyone else had retired to bed below deck.

"Couldn't really find sleep," Hope said, leaving out another part of her response. The two fell into a comfortable silence, staring out across the waters.

"I must admit, you've handled yourself very well throughout these past few years Shay," Hope said to him after a while, with a smile.

"I try," he said with a small laugh. Hope laughed as well. The two fell back into another silence, before Shay spoke up again.

"I get the sense there's a specific reason sleep eludes you Hope," he said looking across at her. She was at the corner of the ship, leaning against it. Shay leaned against the edge with one arm, turning to face her.

"Perhaps," Hope said.

"And what reason would that be?" he asked.

"I think I'll leave you guessing," Hope said with a smirk. "It'll be more fun that way."

"Can I have a hint," Shay joked.

"I'll consider it," Hope told him. She sat down on a nearby barrel that was close by the wheel. Shay turned round and continued staring out at the sea.

"Care for that hint you wanted now Shay," Hope's voiced said behind him. Shay turned round and leant back against the edge.

"All right then," Shay said. "What's the hint?"

Hope walked over and stopped just short of him.

"Kiss me," she said in a low voice.

"Did I mishear you now Miss Jensen," Shay smirked. Whilst he may have appeared relatively relaxed on the outside, inside he was in something of a state of shock. He had to admit he had feelings for Hope. And a moment like this was something he thought he could merely dream of.

"No you did not," she said with a smirk, looking up at him. Hope had had enough of waiting. For the past seven years, ever since she had comforted Shay outside the homestead, she had been trying to figure out what to do with her then newly discovered feelings for him. She had recently come to the decision to act upon them and pray Shay felt the same, and now felt like the perfect moment to do so.

"Well Shay, there's your hint," she said, looking up at him. Hope was feeling a tad nervous inside at this point. Had she made a mistake? Were his feelings mutual? Thankfully, she was proven wrong.

Shay pulled her close to him before pressing his lips against hers. Her hands reached up and cupped his face, and his arms pulled her in and held her close, as their eyes closed and they savoured the moment together.

They eventually broke apart, requiring some air.

"Not quite the hint I was expecting," Shay said with a smirk, looking at Hope.

"I don't think your complaining though," she said.

"I most certainly am not," Shay laughed. "So I take it I'm the reason you were up?" he grinned.

"I suppose there's little point denying it," Hope said simply.

"Think you'll be able to get a little rest now," Shay said, grinning still.

"I think so," Hope said. "But to be sure," she continued, before she started kissing him deeply again. This kiss was shorter than the previous, but no less heartfelt. The two broke apart, and Hope stepped back from Shay.

"Goodnight Shay," Hope said to him, turning on her heel and walking away. Shay watched her leave.

"Goodnight Hope," he said. She smiled at him, and he returned it, before she returned below deck, and Shay returned to looking across the ocean, thinking today may just be the start of a beautiful relationship.

 ** _And they lived happily ever after._**

 ** _The end._**

 ** _Well, that's me done with this chapter here. As I was writing out this chapter, I thought it would be funny to have Hope play a sorta guessing game with Shay like I did here. I thought that if she were to ever reveal her feelings to anyone, this is how she might do it. I bet if she were a real person, she'd be the type to a keep a person guessing. Lemme know if ya think it fits her character._**

 ** _Anyways, that is as I said, this chapter done here. Quite a long one I've written out. Hope all you awesome readers liked it, and if ya did, please drop of a review. I love reading ya feedback._**

 ** _Update: Made a few edits based on feedback given by Dante. Hope you all like them._**

 ** _Stay awesome!_**


	3. Bonus Chapter

**_Bonus Chapter:_**

 ** _Sorta meant as an extension to chapter 2 after Shay and Hope began a relationship. I decided to write this short chapter in to give ya'll something a little extra to read whilst I work on the 3_** ** _rd_** ** _chapter._**

Shay woke up in in his beloved ship, the Morrigan. He stretched out and let out a loud yawn. He turned to the side and swung his legs off his bed and fumbled around, looking for his boots, as his eyes adjusting slightly as he woke up. He found them, and pulled them, before standing up and getting off the grand bed in the back corner of his ship.

He stretched out again and walked over to the water jug he kept and poured a drink for himself.

Outside his quarters, on the main deck, Hope was heading toward the door leading inside. She walked down the short set of steps, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Shay called out. Shay had a set of windows in his cabin, and whilst they weren't very large, they were enough for him to normally get a rough idea of how early or late it might be. He could tell it was early and wondered who would come see him this early in the morning.

Hope entered, with a small smile on her lips. "Good morning," she said, giving him a brief kiss.

"Mornin'" he said. "Drink?" he asked. She nodded and he poured her a glass of water.

"Couldn't wait to see me eh?" Shay asked with a grin. Hope responded by giving him a small shove on the shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes," Shay laughed. Hope just rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Shay," she said, smiling herself.

"Any actual reason why you came to see me"? Shay asked.

"No, just felt like it," Hope shrugged.

"You said there was no reason why you were up late last night but there was," Shay reminded her.

"Does there need to be a reason?" she asked him.

"I suppose not," Shay said. The two continued conversing for a while, occasionally laughing. Eventually however noises began to sound from around the ship, telling the couple that the others were awake. Another knock sounded at the door. Shay once again called out for whoever it was to enter.

"Mornin' Shay, mornin' Hope," Liam said, stepping inside. "I was wondering where you were," Liam told Hope.

"What is it Liam?" Shay asked.

"Everyone as Im sure you can tell is awake, and we're all ready to set off again Shay," Liam informed him. "You mind coming out to take the wheel?" he asked.

"I'll be out in a moment alright," Shay told him. Liam nodded and turned to leave. Just before he left Shay's quarters however, he turned back.

"One more thing Shay," Liam began. "I'm glad you and Hope are happy together," he said with a grin, before he opened the door and stepped outside, leaving Shay and Hope blushing furiously.

"How on earth did he find out?" Shay asked, looking slightly irritated.

"Does it matter?" Hope asked him.

"I'd rather have told him in my own time," Shay said. "Not just him finding out himself."

"Never mind Shay," Hope told him. "I'm sure you'll be able to tell everyone else in your own time."

Shay suddenly looked nervous at the prospect. Hope grinned, knowing this would unnerve him.

"Ya know what, maybe its better he figured it out himself," Shay said, his face turning just the tiniest bit pale. Hope could tell he didn't like the idea of awkwardly announcing he how and Hope was now together. She had to admit she disliked the idea herself. But right now she could amuse herself by laughing at how nervous Shay appeared. Hope laughed inside.

"Anyways, I better get out there and take the wheel," Shay said, his face returning to its normal colour. He headed towards the door, and Hope followed him. They stepped outside, and Liam, who was tying up a few ropes shot Shay a knowing grin. Shay responded with a glare.

Hope meanwhile just looked amused at their pair's interaction. She knew that whilst Liam may not tell anyone about their relationship, respecting that it was his friends business to tell people whenever he saw fit, that he would tease Shay about it endlessly about whenever he could. As brothers would.

She rolled her eyes yet again, and began helping the others aboard with ensuring the ship was ready to sail. She looked up at Shay at the wheel occasionally, with Liam standing next to him. Shay shot his friend a glare occasionally, whilst the slightest blush occasionally graced his cheeks. At one point she overheard Shay telling Liam that he may just throw him overboard and let him swim back, to which Liam just laughed. Hope herself giggled a bit before continuing, assuming that Liam's teasing of Shay had already begun.

 ** _I not to sure why but at one point this idea for a chapter hopped into my head and I just knew it had to be written down. I couldn't resist not including it._**

 ** _Hope you all enjoyed, and if you did, please leave me a little review._**

 ** _Otherwise everyone, stay awesome!_**


	4. A Templar's Reflection

**_Right, the final chapter in this Fanfic. Im sure you all remember from chapter one me referencing how this story explores two ways things could have ended. Here, is the alternate ending. For this fic, I say, the story ends how you feel it should. There is no right or wrong answer. Pick the one you feel is most satisfying to you. Lemme know in the reviews which one you have a preference for._**

 ** _Enjoy._**

 ** _Chapter 3: A Templar's Reflection_**

Shay stood at the stern of his ship, staring over the edge, looking down into the frigid ice waters below him. He had just finished conversing with the Templar Grand Master, Haytham Kenway, and for some reason felt overwhelmingly miserable.

Shay watched the waters, thinking hard. There was only one thing he could think off. And that was about his choices. He'd been so busy over the past few years, and as a result he never truly questioned everything he had been doing. Rather like the time he had spent with the assassins. During a mission, he never questioned things. Never questioned what he had been tasked to do. He just got it done.

But when the mission was completed, what then? That was the problem he faced at the moment. His final mission was complete. He had halted the assassins plans.

Sort of. An earthquake had still been triggered. But the upside was it hadn't slaughtered thousands of innocents like the last time.

But regardless, Shay was still questioning everything he had done. Not just in his final mission, wherein he halted the Assassins expedition to the north. But rather everything he had done to get here. All the choices and decisions he'd made over the course of the past seven years were what he questioned.

His biggest question was a simple one. Was it all really necessary?

Was it truly necessary to abandon the Assassin Order and join the Templar Ranks?

Was it really so necessary to fight so fiercely against the brotherhood that he had more or less destroyed the entire colonial branch?

Was it really necessary to kill all of the main assassin leaders? The ones that had trained him, and taught him all is skills, that he now, as a Templar, had used against them.

Hope, Liam, Kesegowaase, and Chevalier.

These four had been his mentors, trainers, and is Liam's case, his friends. Shay had to admit, he was unsure as to what he could have called the other three when he was an assassin.

Shay pondered this for a moment.

Kesegowaase was one he wondered about whether or not he could call a friend, or just a teacher. Certainly, the Native American had never been a harsh tutor, like Chevalier had. But they weren't exactly friends in the sense that they joked around and laughed a lot with each other. Shay decided Kesegowaase wasn't much more than a teacher, rather than a friend to him.

Now Chevalier. Shay knew he could never have counted Chevalier as a friend. Sure, he had given him the parrying dagger and sword, or more rather, let him keep them. It was Liam who bequeathed those items to him when Shay and the former had went to liberate the smugglers.

Chevalier had simply never asked for them to be returned. Regardless, Chevalier was hardly a nice person if Shay was honest about it. He was rude, condescending, and never had the least bit of respect for Shay. He was even so dis-respectful as to repeatedly mock Shay's lower class origins with his favourite insult, "Cabbage Farmer."

Shay had always meant to tell him not everyone could have the same start in life, and he had no right to belittle them for it. This as a result had constantly put the two at odds with each other. So Shay knew he was nobody he could have ever called friend.

What about Hope, he asked himself. Now she was definitely tough to figure out. The two had shared a good relationship before Shay had abandoned the colonial branch of the Assassins. They had laughed on the odd occasion, and she treated him respectfully. But there was the matter of how she generally liked to remind him that she was his superior. She didn't do it in a snobbish way, or mock him like Chevalier, but she seemed to like reminding him off that every now and then if he ever seemed to act above his station.

Shay decided to put this out of his mind, and try focus on other things. However barely moments after he opted to do this, Hope was back on his mind. Shay had to confess to himself, one of the biggest things he had been questioning himself about was his killing of her. Shay regretted it possibly the most of all the Master Assassins he had taken down in his tenure as a Templar.

It wasn't just because of his dislike in general of going against those he once stood beside. But because of the love he had for her. He knew it now. He had been in love with Hope. And that was why he regretted killing her most of all. Killing a person was one thing to him. Killing one he loved was quite another. He wasn't even sure how he had mustered up the will power to do so.

Probably because he had never quite recognised his feelings for her until after he had ended her life on this planet. He had the revelation shortly after he returned her to her home, and acquired the diary she kept in her desk in her room. He recalled that dark day.

How he had carried her lifeless form back to her home, infiltrated her large mansion and laid her down on her bed, for her final rest. Then he had investigated the desk for some reason. Acquired the simple book, returned to his home, The Fort Arsenal, and read the book.

He even remembered what her entry had read.

 _"So I've heard Shay is coming to New York. No doubt he is coming for me. I had prayed it wouldn't be this way. Should I try convince him? Is it worth is, or is he a lost cause? I truly pray to the skies and back that things won't go the way I expect them to. I don't want to have too fight him. Not Shay. Any other Templar and I would welcome him._

 _But Shay. No. Not him. I love him too much to want to have things come to this. I surprise myself to find myself writing these words. But it feels right. Perhaps, maybe, things could salvaged. Shay could redeem himself and just maybe, maybe, return to the Brotherhood. Or abandon the Templars. That would be better than this. Things might be able to become right again. Maybe even me and Shay could have been together."_

Even now, he almost wanted to laugh at the sheer absurdness of the idea. Yes, after all he had said and done. His rebelling against the Assassins. Him and her together. Not happening. Still, he wished it could have been so. He didn't care how, but he just wished it could have happened.

She was such a good person. For as rough and unwelcoming as she may have been to those who didn't know her, he knew her better. She was a good humoured sort of person, with a strong sense of justice, and preserved in her tasks. She was also beautiful to him. Whilst he'd never have dared admit it out loud, but instead denied it most likely, in his head that was what he had always seen her as. Beautiful.

Shay continued to think of Hope. The more he thought of her, the more the feeling of regret grew, gnawing in the pit of his stomach. All he could think now of how he could have, and indeed should have tried to find another way, so he didn't have to end her life.

Shay looked out across the oceans at the moon, shining brightly in the sky. Reflecting off the waters. He once remembered how he had overheard Hope saying how one time as a young girl she enjoyed staring across the ocean at the moon, watching it reflect across the waters with its unearthly, but beautiful glow.

Shay looked out one last time, before repeating the same words he had told Hope as he lay her down on her bed at her mansion after killing her.

 _"Im so sorry Hope."_

With these words spoken, a single tear fell from the Templars eye. He turned round and walked away from the stern of the ship, down the small flight of stairs. He turned right, then right again and entered his cabin.

He lay down on his bed, and soon had drifted off into an uncomfortable, dark sleep. All the while, thinking of Hope. As he drifted off, he almost thought he heard in the quietest of whispers, a voice saying to him _"I forgive you."_

 ** _Right, that's this chapter done and dusted. Hope you all enjoyed it. I tried to make it a bit longer, but unfortunately I was having a bit of a difficult time doing so. Apologies also that it had been a bit of time between this update the last one. With any luck (as I don't make my own sadly) this is still good enough._**

 ** _Like I said at the start of this chapter, it's a multi-ending fic, and you pick which one you feel you like more. There is no wrong answer. Also, who got the diary reference?_**

 ** _Lemme know what your thoughts are everyone by dropping me a review. Feedback channels good writing. Thanks for reading everyone._**

 ** _Stay awesome!_**


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